The Future of Universal Water

February 28, 2008 | Source: Nanotechnology Now

Futurist Peter von Stackelberg of research and consulting firm Social Technologies has released a report on the future of on providing clean water to the world.

Less than 2% of the planet’s water store is fresh, and much of that is threatened by pollution, he says. “By 2025, about 3.4 billion people will live in regions that are defined by the UN as water-scarce.”

He suggests ideas for technological advances in three major areas that will be critical for the hydrological future: desalination of seawater or brackish groundwater, purification of water containing chemical or biological contaminants, and conservation to cut demand.